Very poor this today by England. Showing their soft underbelly yet again. Held the initiative at 127-7 on the first day then chucked it away
Poor batting performances have cost us, shame as we look like losing a series now, that we could have easily won.
How poor have they England been?. 4 or 5 of those wickets have been down to superb bowling. Some stupid stuff but out of top batsmen, Malan and Moeen wickets were down to poor decisions. They bowled extremely well. You’d think they were the best in the world at it (which they undoubtedly are) Turn it around and imagine we were bowling the way Bumrah did etc. On a 5th day. Very few would say “poor batting” when the ball is reversing like that. Something it didn’t during their innings
The latter is definitely true. England not good enough but not awful. Just beaten today by a far better side. there’s promising signs for a side still trying to recover from the loss of a fantastic opener in Cook. That was 6 years ago and we’ve not had a good solid opening batsman since. Without someone to build the ininings, and having Joe root batting normally within the first 4 or 5 overs is costing too much.
India were 20/21 when England had just lost their 4th wicket. Unbelievable value, inevitable what was coming when we lost a couple after lunch.
Buttler back in the team regardless of his form, or the form of others Sounds like Bairstow is for the chop and Wood will come in for Overton or Robinson Leach might play if it spins. FWIW I'd go: Burns, Hameed, Malan, Root (c), Pope, Woakes, Buttler (w), Ali, Wood, Anderson, Leach Give Robinson a rest and let Woakes bat higher up the order (as he did when he first played for England). Longish tail, but if the top 8 can't score runs then the 9, 10 and Jack can't be blamed. Didn't do India any harm in the last test either. Plenty of bowing options there
That England and New Zealand ladies cricket t20 match was the most exciting game I've watched in a long time.
Aye, looks like it might be stop-start all weekend. Maybe delayed start today then lose some time in the afternoon. please log in to view this image
Hmm not sure what to make of England's chances... its one of the conundrums of sport that you can be good in one game but crap at the next! Don't ask me about Covid
Some of the chat appears to be around IPL contracted players reluctant to play if it means they may catch covid and miss the restart of the IPL
Yep,why sacrifice an opportunity to perform at the very highest level of a game with 150 years of history, at a crucial point in a 5 match series, to play in a half-arsed game of rounders.......oh..forgot... mazuma!